29 April, Brussels– Today, the European Parliament (EP) adopted a Resolution calling on the European Commission to present a new EU Alcohol Strategy to tackle health harm for 2016-2022. The clear message from MEPs comes just a week after EU Health Ministers meeting in Riga called on the Commission (1) to take action on the health impacts of alcohol. Both MEPs and Ministers have criticized the Commission for failing to update the previous EU Alcohol Strategy which expired in 2012.

Statement: Active Congress 2012 on Iceland celebrates the International Youth Day

To the world, the 12th of August is the International Youth Day. To Active, every day is a youth day worth celebrating. We are 28 organizations from 22 different European countries who fight passionately for empowering young people to be active citizens. Celebrating the 12th of August, means for us to celebrate our year-long efforts all over Europe.

In Active we empower youth by combining partying and politics, safe environments and creative ideas: wild dancing whenever we feel for it and heated debates on policy programs; jamming music together and discussing the future Plan of Action.

Like this we have celebrated the International Youth Day for the last week, during our 2012 Active Camp and Congress on Iceland.

For us, making the world better is about creating alcohol free environments where young people thrive best to become productive thinkers, creative activists, compassionate leaders, and conscious citizens.

Young people deserve getting the best opportunities to use their full potential for making the world a better place. ….
(Source: Active statement, 08/12/12)

The WHO Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH) provides easy and rapid access to a wide range of alcohol-related health indicators. It is an essential tool for assessing and monitoring the health situation and trends related to alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harm, and policy responses in countries. For country profiles, maps, reports, and links please see the theme page by clicking on the „Analysis“ tab above.

GISAH is overseen by a Steering Committee comprised of representatives from the WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Canada). The financial support from the Valencian Autonomous Government, Spain is gratefully acknowledged.
(Source: Alcohol Reports, 08/2/12)

The European Alcohol Policy Alliance has launched a new website to flag up the risks associated with alcohol consumption and cancer.

Alcohol is a carcinogenic (cancer causing) substance, yet only 1 in 5 people are aware of the risks that alcohol can bring. 10% of the total cancers in males and 3% of the total cancers in females are thought to be associated with alcohol consumption. A range of cancers are linked to alcohol, including liver cancer and prostate cancer. Any alcohol can increase the risk, so there isn’t a „safer“ alcoholic drink to gravitate to. …
(Source: Eurocare, 07/02/12)

TWELVE sports associations will become teetotal when it comes to alcohol sponsorship after a $25 million deal with the government.

The groups have struck a deal to promote safe alcohol consumption by adults, alcohol-free sporting environments for minors and to reduce alcohol promotion in their codes.

But the AFL and NRL were not part of the deal. Those that do have a stake include national associations for soccer, basketball, netball, swimming, cycling, hockey, athletics, skateboarding, volleyball, equestrian, triathlon and canoeing. They will be precluded from sponsorship that promotes alcohol consumption as it would be in conflict with the health campaign message of Be the Influence, Tackling Binge Drinking.

Today, HEIDI – an internet based wiki that presents reliable and comparable data about health in the EU – has been launched by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health & Consumers. Although Heidi has been set up by the Commission, the content is written by European health experts – who are responsible for their contributions and can directly upload and edit information.

HEIDI stands for Health in Europe: Information and Data Interface. It is a dynamic tool that collects, updates and shares information about health in Europe, for example on health status, health determinants, systems and policies. Keep up-to-date by bookmarking the site!

The abundance of health data and indicators in the HEIDI wiki is constantly being added to and updated. The data can be sorted per year, by country and by region, allowing at-a-glace comparisons across the years and between Member States and regions in the EU. For a selection of health topics, the tool allows for the data to be presented in a variety of graphs – line chart, bar chart, map chart and table chart.

Press Release IOGT-International, 01/21/12
Fifa, football’s world governing body, keeps insisting that alcohol must be sold at all venues hosting matches in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Fifa even speaks of a right to sell beer. But alcohol is currently banned from Brazilian stadiums as part of measures to reduce violence in football and to improve public health in general. The country’s health minister has urged Congress to maintain the ban in the new “World Cup law”.

But Fifa is not willing to accept these arguments and Secretary-General Jerome Valcke says: “Alcoholic drinks are part of the Fifa World Cup, so we’re going to have them. Excuse me if I sound a bit arrogant but that’s something we won’t negotiate.”

“No, we do not excuse your arrogance,” says Mr. Sven-Olov Carlsson, President of IOGT International, “and we cannot accept that Fifa is willing to jeopardize the fun of the game, the safety of children and families and the positive social development in Brazilian society.”
“We suggest Fifa to take a good, hard look at its own Corporate Social Responsibility because words should be followed by deeds,” urges Mr. Carlsson.

Fifa writes on its webpage: “Ensuring that the game of football reflects the highest values of society is essential to Fifa. Through its regulations and actions on and off the pitch, Fifa fights negative influences on the game and ensures that the fundamental values are respected.”

A WHO study carried out in (among others) Brazil, showed that about 46% of violence-related cases included alcohol use. The study also demonstrated that violence related injuries increase with alcohol use. Global evidence shows that alcohol marketing, like sports sponsorship, causes earlier onset of alcohol use among youth and heavier alcohol use for those already consuming. All over the world, alcohol is an obstacle for development and human dignity. It is the socially the most harmful drug.

“That’s why IOGT International strongly supports the Brazilian Health Minister and calls on the Brazilian Parliament to keep football stadiums free from alcohol,” says Mr. Carlsson and continues:
“Football is about creativity and freedom. Alcohol is not. So, why does Fifa force them together and knowingly accept that people will suffer? For the profit? We demand from Fifa to take its own words seriously and put people before profit. Let’s set football free.”